S3P T&BD
Cristina de Toro Navero
General Director of Industries, Innovation and Agri-Food Chain, Region of Andalusia
Dear partners,
In the beginning of a new year, and in a scenario of unpredictability and deep complexity for all, we would like to extend our best wishes for you and your families in these first words of the first 2021 Newsletter.
Four years have passed since the creation of our Partnership. And despite the difficulties faced along the process, we have been able to advance together in the creation of synergies and exchanges among our members; in the implementation of joint projects and new communication channels; and, above all, in mutual learning and networking.
Regions, whose role has traditionally been recognized as key drivers of innovation, offer the appropriate framework to generate interactions between a multitude of actors. However, the new context poses the challenge of generating new collaborative leaderships capable of incorporating the production and dissemination of knowledge coming not only from different organisations, but also from different levels. In this sense, the existence of interregional cooperation networks like our Traceability and Big Data Partnership, in the framework of the European Smart Specialisation Platform, allows to incorporate not only the knowledge generated within each region, but also outside it. And this learning between territories of different EU countries, as a result of their articulation in interregional Partnerships, stands as a decisive element for all to tackle the new initiatives and challenges linked to the Green Deal, the Digital Transition or the Industry 4.0.
Complementarily, we strongly believe that the digitalisation of the EU agri-food value chain needs also to be built on the maximisation of synergies between relevant EU policies, including the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Research and Innovation Policy (Horizon Europe), Cohesion Policy and other relevant EU and Member States` policies and programmes.
We will continue our work in 2021 supporting the agri-food green and the digital transition in the light of the new instruments provided by the 2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial Framework; and we will reinforce, at the same time, our commitment to the values proclaimed by the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations.
Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.